Venue hearing scheduled for accused cop-shooter

Monday

A change of venue hearing is slated for Wednesday for a Neosho man accused of shooting two city police officers in March.

A change of venue hearing is slated for Wednesday for a Neosho man accused of shooting two city police officers in March.

Adam Bridgewater is scheduled to appear at 10 a.m. Wednesday before Judge Gerald McBeth in the Newton County Division I courtroom.

The Missouri State Public Defender’s Office has requested news articles from several area media outlets, including the Neosho Daily News, to prepare for the hearing.

Bridgewater is accused of shooting Neosho police Sgt. Dan Cook and Patrolman Mike Sharp during the early morning hours of March 16 after Cook initiated a routine traffic stop.

Bridgewater fled toward McDonald County, and was allegedly involved in a shooting incident near McNatt with Missouri State Highway Patrolman G.H. Hendrix.

Later, he was reportedly involved in a shoot-out with two McDonald County deputies and rammed their vehicle, then fled on foot.

Bridgewater was captured that afternoon after an intensive manhunt.

Bridgewater faces seven felony charges in McDonald County, including two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer, two counts of armed criminal action, a count of unlawful use of a weapon, a charge of resisting arrest, and a charge of first degree property damage. A court date on these charges has not been set.

Bridgewater also faces a felony count of first degree burglary and five felony charges of receiving stolen property in Newton County. A hearing on those charges is scheduled for Wednesday morning as well.

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Eiken Elam Saimon, the man accused in August’s deadly church shooting, will be back in court Jan. 25 for a pre-trial conference.

Saimon, 53, will appear before Newton County Presiding Judge Timothy Perigo for the proceeding. Saimon is accused in the Aug. 12 shooting deaths of Kernel Rehobson, Intenson Rehobson and Kuhpes Jesse Ikosia, all pastors of a Micronesian congregation which met Sunday afternoons at First Congregational Church of Neosho.
Saimon was a second cousin to Kernel Rehobson.

He also is accused of raping his 14-year-old niece on Aug. 10 at his home on Iris Road. Prosecutors have said this was retaliation for a conflict about the use of his car without his permission.

On Aug. 12, Saimon reportedly entered First Congregational Church in Neosho where the congregation was having afternoon services and shouted “Liars! Liars!” before opening fire. The three pastors were killed and several other people were injured in the incident. Saimon then allegedly held 20 other members of the congregation hostage for a brief period of time before surrendering to authorities.

Saimon faces three counts of first degree murder, four counts of first degree assault, a count of armed criminal action and a count of felonious restraint in connection with the church shooting incident and two felony counts of second degree statutory sodomy and second degree statutory rape in connection with the Aug. 10 incident at his home
Trial has been set for June 23, with a jury to be chosen in Green County, then sequestered in Newton County for the proceedings.

If convicted, Saimon could face up to life in prison on each of the murder and assault charges, up to seven years on the felonious restraint charge, an unspecified penalty for the armed criminal action charge, and up to seven years on each of the statutory rape and statutory sodomy charges.

Neosho Daily News

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